Federal Grand Jury Indicts Five in Massive PCP Case

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 19, 2012

LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury this afternoon returned a 13-count indictment that charges five defendants with participating in a conspiracy to manufacture and distribute large quantities of the drug phencyclidine, commonly known as PCP. According to the indictment, the five conspired to distribute the PCP in Los Angeles, as well as in other parts of the United States, including New York and Maryland.

During a law enforcement operation in this case on February 15, 2012, authorities seized a total of 60 gallons of finished PCP, as well as hundreds of gallons of highly toxic PCP-precursor chemicals that, conservatively, could have been used to manufacture more than 1,200 gallons of PCP with a potential street value of well over $12 million. (A gallon of PCP contains approximately 74,000 doses of the drug.) The seizure of the finished PCP and the precursor chemicals, which took place at several locations in Los Angeles and Culver City, is among the largest PCP seizures in history.

Today’s indictment stems from a joint investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and LAPD/LA IMPACT (Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Taskforce). The investigation began when DEA agents in New York developed a source who agreed to help undercover operatives to obtain 30 gallons of PCP from California. The subsequent investigation, which included recorded meetings and surveillance, led to the seizures in this case.

The defendants charged in the 13-count indictment are:

Darryl Dwayne Burton, also known as “Theodore Hooks,” 56, of Los Angeles, who allegedly obtained the chemicals and cooked the PCP, who has been in federal custody since June 19;

Omar Ahmad, 59, of New York, who is currently in state custody in Los Angeles;

Doris Renee Wade, 47, of New York, who is currently in state custody in Los Angeles;

Carl Michael Arnsby, 41, of Los Angeles, who is in state custody in Los Angeles; and

Lagina Bell Huckaby, 32, of Los Angeles, who has been in custody since June 19.

All five are expected to appear in federal court for arraignments next week.

All five defendants are charged in various PCP-related conspiracies, including conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute PCP. All five are also charged with substantive counts related to their PCP distribution. Additionally, Burton is charged with two counts of illegal possession of precursor chemicals, three counts of maintaining drug-involved premises, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.

All of the defendants charged in the indictment face potential life sentences if convicted.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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